Influence of Peer Group on Students’ Academic Behaviour in Senior Secondary Schools in Cross River State

This study examines the influence of peer group dynamics on students' academic behaviour in senior secondary schools in Cross River State, South South Nigeria. Peer relationships are a defining feature of adolescent social life and have been shown to exert considerable influence over students' study habits, school attendance, attitude towards learning, and academic aspirations. In the context of Cross River State, where diverse ethnic and socioeconomic groups interact within secondary school settings, the nature and direction of peer influence on academic behaviour warrant empirical investigation. The study employs a descriptive survey design and uses multi-stage sampling to select 400 senior secondary students from 35 schools across three local government areas. Data are collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. The study is grounded in the Social Learning Theory of Bandura. Findings reveal that students with academically motivated peer groups demonstrate stronger study habits, higher school attendance, and better examination performance than those embedded in peer networks characterised by truancy and disengagement. The role of school administrators in shaping peer culture through extracurricular programming and values education is also highlighted. The study recommends that schools deliberately structure learning environments to foster pro-academic peer interaction. Keywords: peer group influence, academic behaviour, social learning, secondary schools, Cross River State.